作者：Adriel Sanchez 譯者：駱鴻銘
身為一位牧師，我和那些曾經被宗教領袖傷害過的人，有過無數次的談話。我們都希望像欺壓、腐敗、操縱這樣的字眼不會被用來描述教會的領袖，但是很不幸，事實並非如此。假若你曾經受過傷，也因為這個痛苦的經驗轉離了基督信仰，基於三個理由，我懇求你重新考慮你的回應。As a pastor, I’ve had countless conversations with people hurt
by religious authority. One would hope that words like coercive, corrupt, and
manipulative would never be used to describe church leadership, but sadly
that’s not the case. If you’re one of the wounded and you have turned your back
on Christianity due to the experience, I want to plead with you to reconsider
your response for three reasons:
1. 耶穌仍然與教會同在1. Jesus is still
with the church.
幾年前，我曾經和一位在咖啡廳裏遇見的人展開一段談話。當我告訴他我是個牧師時，他迫不及待地想要把他在教會裏看到的所有問題一一列舉出來。「他們應該照顧窮人，卻不照顧；許多牧師只會談錢；教會裏充滿偽君子」，等等。在幾個批判性的評論之後，他這樣總結說：「今天的教會對我來說，完全不像聖經裏的耶穌，這就是我不去教會的原因。」我微笑著告訴他，我大致上同意他的看法。在我聽完他的滿腹牢騷之後，我猜他還以為我也會離開教會呢！相反，我回答說：「你看到了教會所有的問題，因此你就把這個當作藉口離開了教會。但是你知道耶穌為什麼這麼美麗嗎？（說到這裏，他茫然地凝視著我！）耶穌看見祂的教會一團混亂，卻仍然沒有丢棄她！」
A few
years ago, I got into a conversation with a man whom I met at a café. When I
told him I was a pastor, he was eager to enumerate all of the problems he had
seen in churches. They don’t care for the poor like they should; so many
pastors only talk about money; churches are filled with hypocrites; and so
forth. After a few more critical comments, he ended, “None of the churches
today look to me like Jesus did in the Bible. That’s why I don’t go to church.”
I smiled and told him I agreed with much of his assessment. I suspect he
thought I too might leave the church after having heard his grievances!
Instead, I replied, “You see all the church’s problems, and you use that as a
justification to leave her. Do you know what’s so beautiful about Jesus? (I got
a blank stare at this point!) Jesus sees how messed up the church is, and he
still has not abandoned her!”
耶穌應許，祂要建造祂的教會（太十六18），並且會幫助教會度過難關，直到這個工程完成為止（太廿八20）。個別的基督教會也許會變得腐敗、隨流失去（啟二5），但是耶穌有一天會把整個教會當作純潔、美麗、妝飾過的新婦，獻給自己（弗五27）。 假使某個教會的領袖曾經虐待過你，請不要因此使你不再能經歷到真正基督徒群體的榮美。Jesus promised he
would build his church (Matt. 16:18) and see the project through (Matt. 28:20).
Individual Christian churches can become corrupt and fall away (Rev. 2:5), but
Jesus will one day present the whole church to himself as a pure, beautifully
adorned bride (Eph. 5:27). If the leadership of a particular church has abused
you, please don’t let that keep you from experiencing the beauty of true
Christian community.
當基督徒聚在一起聆聽基督的話，並且按照基督的吩咐來敬拜祂，祂就會在他們當中。是的，我們不是完美的，但是請想像，就算祂的子民有許多污點，耶穌仍然與他們會面，這會讓我們看到耶穌有多麼愛祂的子民。耶穌要邀請你經歷的也是這樣的愛，這也是對受傷者和所有的人的邀請。你再怎麼努力，也無法比耶穌更認識教會。若耶穌不曾背棄教會，那麼，你也不該如此。When Christians
gather to hear Christ’s Word and worship
the way he intended them to, he is present among them. Yes, we’re imperfect,
but imagine how much Jesus must love his people to continue to meet with them
despite their blemishes. It’s that same love that Jesus offers you, wounds and
all. If Jesus, who knows the church far better than you ever could, has not
turned his back on her, then neither should you.
2. 沒有人像耶穌那樣明白你的掙扎2. Jesus understands your struggle like no one else.
你知道沒有人能像耶穌那樣，能感同身受你的痛苦經驗嗎？當耶穌還在地上的時候，宗教當局經常凌辱祂。他們嘲諷祂的母親，暗示她隨便和人發生關係（約八41）；控告祂是靠撒但的能力行神蹟（太十二24）；譏笑祂的同伴（太十一19）；說關於祂的謊話（可十四57～58）；並且定祂死罪（可十四64）。耶穌在祂最軟弱的時刻，羞辱地被釘十字架時，那些宗教領袖繼續嘲諷祂，「他救了別人，不能救自己！」（可十五31）沒有一個人曾經比耶穌在「教會領袖」的手中，遭受過更多的暴力虐待，也因為如此，沒有人能像祂一樣能夠安慰你。其他人也許不清楚你過去所經受的，但是耶穌不是這樣。祂身上也傷痕累累（啟五6），並且應許說，藉著祂的受苦，你可以得到醫治。（賽五十三5）
Did
you know that no one can relate to your horrible experience like Jesus can?
When Jesus was on earth, religious authorities constantly mistreated him. They
mocked his mother, suggesting that she slept around (John 8:41); accused him of
performing his miracles by the power of Satan (Matt. 12:24); ridiculed the
company he kept (Matt. 11:19); lied about him (Mark 14:57–58); and condemned
him (Mark 14:64). When Jesus was at his most vulnerable point, shamefully
crucified, the religious leaders continued mocking him. “He saved others; he
cannot save himself!” (Mark 15:31). No person has endured more violent abuse at
the hands of “church leaders” than Jesus did, and because of that he can
comfort you like no one else can. Other people may be unaware of what you’ve
had to endure, but Jesus isn’t. He has wounds too (Rev. 5:6) and promises that
through his suffering you can find healing (Isa. 53:5).
3. 耶穌如今使用忠心的教會領袖來堅固你3. Jesus uses faithful church leaders to strengthen
you.
你也許很難相信這點，因為在過去，教會對你作的事情就是傷害你。但是請思考使徒保羅所說的，耶穌把教會領袖賜給我們的原因：This may be especially difficult for you to
believe, since in the past the church has only hurt you. But consider the
reason for which the apostle Paul said Jesus gave us church leaders:
祂所賜的，有使徒，有先知，有傳福音的，有牧師和教師， 為要成全聖徒，各盡其職，*建立基督的身體*。（弗四11～12；強調是另加的）And he [Jesus] gave the apostles, the prophets,
the evangelists, the shepherds, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work
of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ. (Eph. 4:11–12; italics
added)
基督給我們牧師和教師，是為了要在信仰上建立我們，而不是要剝削我們！另一個使徒彼得也談到這個議題，他鼓勵某個教會的長老們：Christ gave us
pastors and teachers to build us up in the faith, not to exploit us! Another
apostle, Peter, touched on this when he encouraged the elders of one particular
church:
務要牧養在你們中間神的群羊，按著神旨意照管他們；不是出於勉強，乃是出於甘心；也不是因為貪財，乃是出於樂意；也不是轄制所託付你們的，乃是作群羊的榜樣。（彼前五2～3）Shepherd the flock
of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but
willingly, as God would have you; and not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not
domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” (1
Pet. 5:2–3; italics added)
耶穌基督是我們的大牧人，祂已經為你捨命。祂奉獻了一切，好叫你能永遠與祂在榮耀裏同活。在這之後，祂也賜給你願意順服基督帶領的牧師，照顧你屬靈的健康。去尋找一個有忠心牧者的教會吧！這樣的牧者關心的不是他自己的得利，而是你屬靈的成長；他會持續不斷地引領你到耶穌和祂的道那裏，幫助你快快長大成熟。Jesus Christ is the Chief Shepherd who laid down his
life for you. Having given his all so that you would live forever with him in glory,
he also gives you pastors who will submit to his leadership and care for your
spiritual well-being. Seek a faithful church with a pastor who isn’t concerned
with his gain but rather your growth, and who will continually point you to
Jesus and his Word to facilitate that growth.
